The Tomb of Ligeia
The Tomb of Ligeia (1964) is an American International Pictures horror film, produced in the UK by Alta Vista Productions. Starring Vincent Price and Elizabeth Shepherdit tells of a man haunted by the spirit of his dead wife and her effect on his second marriage. The screenplay by Robert Towne was based upon the tale "Ligeia" by American author Edgar Allan Poe. The film was directed by Roger Corman, and was the last in his series of eight film adaptations largely based on the works of Poe. Tomb of Ligeia was filmed at Castle Acre Priory and other locations with a mostly English cast, and is marked among the Corman-Poe cycle for its atypical outdoor scenes and opulent settings. Contents http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tomb_of_Ligeia# hide *1 Cast *2 Plot *3 Reception *4 See also *5 References *6 External links Casthttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Tomb_of_Ligeia&action=edit&section=1 edit *Vincent Price as Verden Fell *Elizabeth Shepherd as Rowena Trevanion/Ligeia *John Westbrook as Christopher Gough *Derek Francis as Lord Trevanion *Oliver Johnston as Kenrick *Richard Vernon as Dr. Vivian *Frank Thornton as Peperel *Ronald Adam as Clergyman *Denis Gilmore as Livery Boy *Penelope Lee as Maid Plothttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Tomb_of_Ligeia&action=edit&section=2 edit Verden Fell (Vincent Price) is both mournful and threatened by his first wife's death. He senses her reluctance to die and her near-blasphemous statements about God (she was an atheist). Alone and troubled by a vision problem that requires him to wear strange dark glasses, Fell shuns the world. Against his better judgement, he marries a headstrong young woman (Elizabeth Shepherd) he meets by accident and who is apparently bethrothed to an old friend Christopher Gough (John Westbrook). The spirit of Fell's first wife Ligeia seems to haunt the old mansion/abbey where they live and a series of nocturnal visions and the sinister presence of a cat (who may be inhabited by the spirit of Ligeia) cause him distress. Ultimately he must face the spirit of Ligeia and resist her or perish. The climax of the film takes place when Verden has a showdown with Ligeia, now in the form of a cat. Verden is blinded by Ligeia, but gets the upper hand and strangles the cat, while the tomb around him burns down, due to an accident. Christopher and Rowena start a new life together, while Verden and his wife perish in the flames. Receptionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Tomb_of_Ligeia&action=edit&section=3 edit The film was released in the UK by Warner-Pathé on 6 December 1964, with Mario Bava's I tre volti della paura (in its Anglicised version as Black Sabbath) in support.[1]US release followed on 20 January the following year. Howard Thompson in the New York Times of 6 May wrote, "Mr Corman at least cares about putting Mr Poe — or at least some of the master's original ideas — on the screen. If they are frankly made to be screamed at, they are not to be sneezed at. Mr Price still hams it up, front and center, but these low-budget shockers generally evoke a compelling sense of heady atmosphere and coiled doom in their excellent Gothic settings, arresting color schemes and camera mobility ... Mr Corman has made stunning, ambient use of his authentic setting, an ancient abbey in Norfolk, England, and the lovely countryside. The picture is not nearly as finished as Masque of the Red Death ... But the Corman climate of evil is as unhealthy and contagious as ever." Category:1964 films